Welcome to The Swedish Artillery Museum

The dramatic restructuring of Sweden´s defence opened the way for a network of museums-Sweden´s Military Heritage – showing different aspects of our military history (see www.smha.se).

Sweden has not been involved in a war since 1814. The will to defend the country has been strong all the time both before and after that year.

In Kristianstad you can learn about the history of the Swedish artillery.

The Artillery museum in Kristianstad portrays the development of the Swedish artillery from the middle of the 1700´s to the present days. The museum will assume the overall responsibility for preserving the historical traditions of the Swedish Artillery.

In the museum you can find around 100 artillery-guns/howitzers/mortars/grenade launchers and the belonging communication equipment, instruments and ammunition, around 40 artillery vehicles including self-propelled guns among other things. The meaning is also showing functions and concepts.  The visitor will get an understanding of how and why.
It is mainly a museum of technology.

Most of the Swedish artillery systems are manufactured in Sweden. But some are German and one  French. The most important manufacturers are Swedish: Bofors, Ericsson and Hägglund are most important. Up to about 1920 was also German Krupp of importance.
From old ages also guns from manufacturers as Finspång and Stafsjö.

The area where the museum is located is Norra Åsum south of and near the city Kristianstad in Skåne/Scania in the southernmost part of Sweden (see map). It has been a military training place for artillery from 1946- 1994 belonging to Royal Wendes artillery regiment (A 3).

In the neighbourhood are the former fortress city of Kristianstad with regional museum and an old fortress bastion and within 10 kilometres the old black powder mills of Torsebro.

The museum also, at special shows, works together with both horse-drawn and vehicle-towed artillery  also wearing uniforms of the time.

Some information for the visitors:

The museum is normally open Tuesdays afternoons 13-15 April- October and Sundays the summer of 2010 from 4 of July to 8 of August at 13-16. During 2010 there are also special shows at 15 of May and 8 of August. See this home-page for more opening hours during summer and programmes.
Groups can be booked at other times all around the year. English-speaking guide is available.

Valid year 2010:

The museum is available for disabled persons. Coffee can be served. A small shop has books and some surplus items. A playground is built for children. Parking is free and avaiable for all kinds of vehicles including busses and caravans/house-trailers. Entrance fee per person is 20 Sw. cr. (from 16 years) and for a group of maximum 25 persons obligatory 200 Sw. cr. extra for one hour guiding, more than 25 persons means two groups etc. A new illustrated catalogue is available (in Swedish).